Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-05-26
a ROUGH ROAD,
The Difficulties Which are I'm MIR.
Sherman's Way OF Reaching the
Presidential Nomination.


Presidential Nomination.
The boom for John Sherman rs the
Republican candidate in lSSS is assum-
ing, under judicious management, very
promising proportions. Its most inter-
estipg feature is its many-sidedness.
To large numbers of Republicans it pre-
sents itself as a relief from the Blaine
incubus under which they have rested
so long and which they have found ii so
difficult to throw off. To others Sher-
mao is the candidate of assured tlnan-
cial views who can carry New York
and possibly reconcile the Mugwumps.
To another class he is the coming paci-
licator of theSouth who is to orend asun-
der more effectively than any other Re
publican the solidity of that section.
Yet it is not all plain sailing even in
his own party for the friend of the New
York banks and the discoyerer of Eliza
Pinkston. Two formidable obstacles
lie in the channel through which he
must pass to nomination and there
seems to be no present method of pass
ing or removing them. The first is the
opposition of the progressive Republi-
cans, who believe, like Senator Hawley
OF Connecticut, in local self-govern-
ment and the abandonment of paternal-
ism in Government. Upon this point,
for the purpose of catching Southern
support, Sherman has irrevocably CON-
mitted himself. In his Solthern
speeches he avowed himself heartily in
favor of the principle which lies at the
bottom of the Blair bill for aiding the
States to educate the rising generation.
1t was not n wholly new attitude for
him. He has always been supporter
Of subsidies aud there is no essential
difference between supporting one sub
sidy to aid an influential monopoly and
supporting another TO secure votes.
Neither is the attitude at variance with
the general attitude of the Republican
party. 1t is exceedingly obnoxious,
however, 10 the better elements of the
party and if Senator Sherman adheres
to it he cannot count on their support
in convention.
Upon another point Senator Sherman
is rank antagonist to a large element
of his party, though it is not so worthy
or reputable an element as that which
opposes his subsidy notions. While
this element may be willing to cut loose
from the "bloody shirt" with all that
the old war cry implies, it is determin-
cd to cling still to the hypocrltical by
pothesis that the party is the special
guardian of moral ideas. But Sherman
has deliberately declared against the
"moral idea" dodge. In effect, he has
proclaimed the eraSure from the party
gonfaIon of the cabalistic "g. o. p" In
his letter to the Young Republican
Club Of Virginia he distinctly outlined
the future of the Republican party as a
future devoted to the Development and
the diverslfcation of American history.
There is to be no brooding over the
dead past, he says: no more crusading
against real or imaginary wrong. The
end and aim of the party, next to the
securing of its own ncontinuancelin pow
er, is business.
This will probably satisfy the pro-
nounced protectionists in the party,
though many even of these will regret
the abandonment of the snivel and the
whine. But to an immense faction in
the party the snivel and the whine are
indispensable. They would not know
what to do with themselves in party
that plants itself on n business issue
and refuses to plume itself upon its de-
votion to the rlghting of wrongs. And
as natural consequence this faction
cannot support Sherman.
All Of which goes to show that the
way of the aspirant to Presidential
nomination is hard. Detroit FreeP PreSS.
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